Gander Mountain to build new store

TUSCALOOSA | Outdoor enthusiasts will soon have another option for their camping, fishing, hunting and other outdoor lifestyle needs in Tuscaloosa.

By Kim EatonStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | Outdoor enthusiasts will soon have another option for their camping, fishing, hunting and other outdoor lifestyle needs in Tuscaloosa.St. Paul, Minn.-based Gander Mountain recently announced it will open its 121st store in Tuscaloosa in late spring. The 43,000-square-foot facility, which will be at 3325 McFarland Blvd. E., will offer new and used firearms along with gear and accessories for hunting, fishing, camping, boating and archery, as well as men’s and women’s active performance outdoor and casual apparel and footwear. Brands that will be available include The North Face, Columbia, Under Armour, GSX, Mountain Hardwear, Carhartt, Guide Series, Marmot, Asics, Merrell, Keen, Irish Setter, Patagonia and more.“We run in the same vein as other outdoor type stores, but we’re a little larger,” said Jess Myers, Gander Mountain Co. spokesman. “We just offer good gear, good expertise and good prices. A lot of our stores are also designed to look like a log cabin or something similar, so customers get that outdoor feeling as soon as they see us.”What began as a catalog-based retailer in 1960 has grown to 119 stores — soon to be 121 with the opening of the Tuscaloosa site and another location in Gastonia, N.C. — in 24 states. The Tuscaloosa location will be the fourth in the state and the first in West Alabama; the company’s other Alabama stores are in Florence, Opelika and Huntsville. “Alabama is known around the world for college football, but we’ve found that people on that side of the state have a love for outdoors that comes in a close second to their love for football,” Myers said “We’ve also seen that there are family generations worth of hunting, camping, hiking, fishing. Activities are passed down from fathers to sons, mothers to daughters, and we’re proud to be able to offer the gear and products needed to continue those traditions.”The new store will also serve as a slight boost to the job market, creating up to 70 new jobs for the area. Myers said he could not provide an exact number of needed employees, but new stores usually have about 20 full-time and 40 to 50 part-time employees. An ideal employee would be someone who is friendly and personable, and having an outdoor background would be a plus. He anticipated interviews starting “soon.”“We pride ourselves on hiring people that know the outdoors and the gear, and can provide reliable information for customers, rather than just trying to sell as many products as they can,” Myers said.While there is not a set opening date yet, Myers said the company hopes to have the store up and running as soon as it is able in the spring.For information on special events, activities and promotions that will be part of the new Tuscaloosa store grand opening celebration, visit gandermountain.com. For information about job opportunities or to apply online, visit gandermountain.com/careers.